


Courtship Mishaps

by a2h1ey



Series: WinterIron Week (Dec. 2020) [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Tony Stark, Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Shifters, Animal Shifters, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Getting Together, Honestly high-key so is everyone else, Idiots in Love, Insecure Tony, JARVIS is Also So Done, M/M, Misunderstandings, Old Fashioned Bucky Barnes, Omega Tony, Pining, Pining Bucky Barnes, Protective Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Steve is so done, Tony Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Gets a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28141707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a2h1ey/pseuds/a2h1ey
Summary: Someone's been leaving Tony 'gifts'; he would very much appreciate it if they stopped, thanks.Bucky just wants to snuggle with him.And Steve - and JARVIS - are just done with all of this.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) & Tony Stark
Series: WinterIron Week (Dec. 2020) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2056809
Comments: 5
Kudos: 246
Collections: WinterIron Week





	Courtship Mishaps

**Author's Note:**

> For WinterIron Week (Dec. 2020)~  
> Day 4: Thursday  
>  ~~Bucky~~ /Tony needs a hug | Forgiveness (It's there at the end... somewhere lol) | Fluff
> 
> Partly inspired by this [Infamous Post on Tumblr.](https://worldneedwinteriron.tumblr.com/post/181851634729/i-dont-even-regret-this)
> 
> It seems I'm only capable of writing fluff so far, so have some more. Also, there's a few implied things (I got a bit too into shifter and ABO worldbuilding/dynamics about courting) that I couldn't quite get out in the story - Tony and Bucky fought against me for a good part of this - so some notes on the bottom to answer hopefully any confusion.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy? 
> 
> (Also, note: predator shifters are called just that and lower tiered animals - like deer, rabbits, etc. - are called 'prey', but both are no way derogatory; just couldn't think of anything better lol.)

Tony sighed, letting his shoulders drop as the elevator rose.

Another day, another reporter wanting to get news on the infamous Tony Stark and Iron Man.

And Steve wondered why he didn’t leave the Tower without going in ‘disguise’. 

As Tony stepped into his workshop, happy to just be home, he swore he felt his heart stop for a moment when he laid eyes on the paper wrapped box.

There was a present. On his workbench.

Slowly approaching it - no, there was _no way_ it was… And what if it was from…? - and felt his heart hammering when he saw that there was no indication from who it could be from.

He hesitated before slowly speaking up. “JARVIS, do you-”

“I don’t believe it’s in my place to say, Sir,” he immediately answered, sounding distinctly amused.

Tony swallowed. That meant only one thing.

Taking a deep breath, he carefully picked up the neatly wrapped, small package, noting the pretty metallic red and gold design.

Gently unwrapping it, he was soon holding a small cardboard box. 

And inside was-

Tony stopped.

He blinked, checking that- yes, it’s still there.

And his stomach immediately plummeted, whatever giddy warmth he felt cool to bitter ice.

He set down the box, staring blankly at the chew toy. A used chew toy, too, going by the ratty wear and tear and the sharp teeth marks. 

Oh, and as a nice topper, it was washed with a scent neutralizer, so he had no idea who it belonged to.

A mirthless laugh bubbled and spilled over from his lips. He then grit his teeth, ignoring the tell-tale stinging in his eyes, and gently placed the top back on, and then turned his back on the whole mess altogether. 

He had things to do, upgrades to be made, technology to be invented…

“Sir?” JARVIS rarely sounded hesitant, but he did then. 

Tony waved his hand dismissively, clearing his throat before speaking. “It’s-it’s fine, J; let’s just… forget it, okay? And I… I don’t want to know who sent it. Can you bring up the designs for the new arrows we were designing yesterday? Legolas may have some wild ideas, but I’m sure we can make the sticky-bomb arrows work…”

Tony let himself get lost in the science, trying to act like his heart wasn’t aching with every beat.

After all, how could he really think that he, Tony Stark, Warmonger and Merchant of Death, would ever receive a true courting gift?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

“I don’t know what I did wrong, Steve,” Bucky groaned, laying his head on his front paws. He felt him lay a heavy paw on his back in support.

From here, on the other side of the living room, he watched Tony sleepily curl into the mass of fur and feathers of Thor, Nat, and Clint, the Omega not even trying to pretend to watch the holiday movie that was playing on the TV. 

He felt his heart pulse with longing and affection when he watched the spotted deer comfortably lounge with all the predators that made up the team of Shifters. 

He was just so small and adorable and pretty, and it was only made all the more obvious curled up against Thor’s large lion body; hell, even Clint’s hawk form and Nat’s fox form made the tiny spotted deer seem even more petite then usual.

And if it wasn’t for the fact that every single one of Bucky’s courting gifts were rejected - and he was sure his scent would just be screaming his longing for the Omega - he would be right there, curling protectively around him as he wanted to.

Instead here he was, unable to keep from sighing as he watched Tony close his beautiful doe eyes as Bruce’s large bear form snuggled up against his other side.

Beside him Steve made a disgusted noise. Bucky ignored him. Punk.

“You know, you could always just, I don’t know, ask him out?” Steve stressed. 

Bucky made a dismissive huff; it wasn’t nearly the first time they talked about this.

“I want to do this right, Stevie, y’know that. I just… I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” he confessed, sighing again but this time in frustration. 

Not to mention the fact that ever since the first gift - his favorite chew toy and item as a wolf shifter, as was the norm for courting gifts… at least from what he could remember - JARVIS had been decidedly, well, colder, only speaking to Bucky in clipped tones and seeming to give him the cold shoulder. Which also made getting the gifts into places where Tony could find harder, considering the AI was definitely no longer helping for whatever reason.

And that was an entire different can of worms he had to deal with besides.

Probably had to do with the reason why Tony kept rejecting every courting gift so far, if he had to guess; even the wild game he caught the other day just for him ended up on the kitchen table an hour later. 

“Buck. Have you ever thought to read up on courting nowadays? Because it’s not quite the same as it was back in the forties, especially with the progress made about predator and prey Alpha-Omega pairings,” Steve gently pointed out, trying to help as always.

Bucky sighed in defeat; he’s been trying to avoid that, wanting to court Tony the way he was taught to, but at this rate he’ll try anything.

“Yeah, alright.” He raised a paw without looking and gently bopped the golden retriever on the face. 

“You’re still a punk.” His own ‘thanks’. “Jerk.” A heavy head laid on his shoulder, and he knew Steve got it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

To say Bucky was horrified when he read up on ‘modern courting’ was an understatement.

And then suddenly Tony’s rejections - and the sad, tired look in his eyes after every gift, not to mention JARVIS’ sudden coldness - made sense.

Bucky didn’t remember much beyond the basics of courting - i.e. mostly his wolf instincts and vague memories of his mom offering advice - but he had been giving courting gifts fit for another predator, another Alpha.

Not for prey, for herbivores and Omegas.

Hell, now that he really thought about some of his gifts - he gave his _used chew toy_ to a _prey shifter_ \- he felt like smacking his head against the wall, or with his metal prosthetic.

He needed to fix this, and fast.

Scrolling through the website one more time, he determinedly headed to the elevator; he had a courting gift to prepare.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It had not been a good day.

First there had been no coffee, which, _heresy_ , by the way.

Tony was planning on telling Nat who took her favorite pair of slippers. Clint deserved it.

Next there had been a big mix up in R&D which took _hours_ to be 'fixed', if the promise to 'talk more’ tomorrow was calling it fixed. Thank god(s) for Pepper.

And now… now there was another gift waiting for him, and this time on his bed.

Staring at it from the doorway, a sinking feeling in his gut, he vaguely wondered why JARVIS let the person who had been giving the mocking gifts allowed into his room.

Letting out a resigned sigh - he had been hoping the person would finally leave him alone, since it's been a few days since the last 'gift' - he walked over to the wrapped box.

It looked about the same as the others had been - innocent looking presents wrapped in Avengers themed wrapping - but this one was silver with little red stars, and a good bit bigger.

Winter Soldier colors, he noted. 

Honestly he had half a mind to just toss this one. Usually he would just place the rejected courting gifts on the table, as was the tradition, but using the colors of the one he was (pining for) infatuated by? 

With a huff, he halfheartedly unwrapped the wrapping and opened the box without much thought. 

He looked down, expecting something else just as insulting as usual, but…

That wasn't it. At all.

Inside was an array of things: a beautiful set of cufflinks, each silver with a red star, a good bunch of his favorite fruits and veggies his shifted form enjoyed, freshly picked from the sight and smell, and…

He gently picked up the seemingly handmade scarf, feeling the luxuriously soft gray material. Bringing it closer for inspection, he got a waft of the scent from it, his throat hitching when he realized he definitely recognized that Alpha and cedar wood combo anywhere.

"Thought a scarf might work best."

Tony whirled staring wide eyed at Bucky from where he stood at the doorway, giving him a sheepish grin. The grey wolf shifter shrugged, hands stuck in his pants pockets.

“I, ah, know my last gifts weren’t the best, and… I wanted to apologize. For the other gifts, I mean; didn’t know what they meant to a prey shifter and an Omega, and I know it doesn’t fix anything, but… sorry.” 

Tony stayed silent, stunned. Was… was this really happening? 

Bucky continued on when he didn’t say anything, seeming to grow more nervous, shifting on his feet. “It took me a while to figure out what would be best, since you’re a deer shifter and all, and I wanted to make something you can use when you’re in either form. About the scarf, I mean. Not that I’m implying you _have_ accepted the courting gifts, of course, just-”

Tony put a halt to the ridiculous, silly Alpha’s rambling by wrapping the scarf around his neck and just burying his face into the softness. 

Not as nice as curling with the real thing, of course, but the scarf was definitely a nice substitute. 

“Doll… does that mean…?” Bucky questioned, and when Tony peeked an eye open, he was treated to the sight of the Alpha staring at him in wondrous awe. 

He buried his face further into the scarf to hide his heated face; he was pretty sure he failed. “I think this courting gift is pretty acceptable, Buckaroo, but still need to do one thing to complete the courtship...” Tony teased, unable to keep his smile from widening as his heart seemed to want to beat right out of his chest.

“Yeah?” Bucky breathed, taking hesitant steps forward.

And to think, he had thought the other gifts were just to mock and hurt him.

Without another pause, heart feeling lighter than it’s been in weeks, he stepped right up to Bucky, looking up into those stormy blue eyes. “I think you need to kiss me.”

Tony grinned when Bucky nodded, eager. “Yeah, I think I can do that, doll.”

As Tony wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck, feeling those strong arms around his back, he thanked whatever powers may be that it was all just a misunderstanding.

Oh, he would be getting the details later, but for now… well, he had his Alpha to kiss.

(The next day, the team found them cuddling together in their shifted forms, Bucky’s large form curled protectively around Tony’s much smaller one. The team all said their own versions of congratulations “ _for finally stopping like a couple of pining maidens,_ ” as Sam halfheartedly grumbled. 

And throughout it all, Tony had the grey scarf wrapped around his neck, warm and cozy and happier than he could ever remember being, his Alpha right by his side.)

**Author's Note:**

> Notes Regarding Courting Things:  
> \- In this AU, shifter forms do impact courtship as much as ABO status does. Mostly because... well, a rabbit shifter getting some fresh, wild game, still bloody? I'm sure that would go over well.  
> \- And for those who caught it, the scarf is, in fact, made of Bucky's excess fur. My mind is that shifters trying to court another, specifically those of the 'prey' category, would use fur/feathers/etc. that fell out as jewelry or something similar as a handmade gift. Bucky is a wolf, and sheds a ton, and honestly I just wanted to picture deer!Tony with a fluffy scarf. :)  
> \- Also for context: Chital/Spotted Deer can grow Maybe about 3 feet, but Tony's more like 2.5 ft/~77 cm at the shoulder; Bucky, being a Grey (Timber) Wolf and on the larger side, is about 3 ft/~91 cm at the shoulder. Tony is just Smol, lol.
> 
> I think that's all...? Hopefully that answered any questions, and let me know if you have more for me to clarify!
> 
> As always, this was posted on my Tumblr (@Saraceaser), and hope y'all have a lovely rest of the holiday season! <3


End file.
